


Străini (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

by themostmarvelousimagines



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Anxiety, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Cutesy, Explicit Language, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Mild Blood, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre-Civil War (Marvel), Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-20
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-06-09 14:45:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6911458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themostmarvelousimagines/pseuds/themostmarvelousimagines
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The reader becomes lost in Bucharest and a stranger decides to help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Posted a few days ago on my tumblr but I wanted it on here as well. I guess there are spoilers? Idk that depends on your definition. There's also very descriptive parts about anxiety so be aware of that :-) It's also ironic because the day I posted this I got lost in Disneyland so go figure lol. That whole spiel is on tumblr if you really want to hear about it.

Panic set in as the large buildings seemed to tower over you, amplifying the growing tightness in your chest. You weren’t sure how or when, but you’d been separated from your friends in the middle of Bucharest, and you didn’t speak Romanian. You’d left that to your friends, knowing that if you needed to talk to anyone they would just help translate. And yet, there you stood, shivering against the cold and feeling like a lost puppy surrounded by complete strangers.  
You sighed in relief upon remembering you did in fact have a cell phone, so you pulled it out and dialed your friends as quickly as you could. The line rang. And rang. And rang. And cut to voicemail. Apparently, whatever higher power looked after you, they were really pissed off with you today.  
You placed your phone back into your coat pocket and tried to keep your heart from bursting out of your chest as strangers bumped passed you, excusing themselves in a language you didn’t understand. It only added to your dismay. The acid in your stomach jumped from its home to your throat, burning the whole way there. You swallowed hard and tried to concentrate, to find a solution to your problem at any cost. You settled for wandering around in an attempt to search for your friends, squeezing past people as your eyes darted around desperately.  
Small flurries of snow began to fall from the sky, coating the ground in a thin layer of a clumsy persons worst nightmare. Flakes stuck to peoples hair, their clothes, cars on the side of the road, anything they happened to fall upon. The temperature felt like it had dropped by ten, maybe twenty degrees as you continued your search. The fear of being lost in a foreign country on your own became all too real to you and you found yourself feeling hopeless.  
Your fingers began to tingle, even from inside your coat pockets. Your cheeks burned from the icy air and you admitted defeat, opting to dip inside of a coffee shop that was conveniently close by. If anywhere would be warm, it would be there.  
Once inside the small shop, your breath stopped fogging up and the familiar scent of coffee grounds helped your anxieties to subside, but only a little. You ordered a drink- decaf, because seriously the last thing you needed was more jitters- and felt thankful that you’d been getting coffee throughout the trip, otherwise you never would have been able to order anything. You sat down in a booth and stared at your drink for a moment before dropping your head onto the table like a weight.  
How could you have lost your friends? They were there one second, and gone the next, like some kind of sick disappearing act by a cheap magician. Your heart sank into your stomach and tears began to prick your eyes as you accepted your fate. Were you being a little dramatic? Maybe, but anyone in your situation would have felt the same way, maybe even worse. You sat in silence and tried to come up with a plan in the middle of the coffee shop as snow piled on outside.  
“Scuză-mă, te simți bine?” a voice said above you, making you sit up abruptly.  
“I’m sorry, I don’t-” you tried to explain, your words failing you as you observed the man before you. His hair was trailing over his shoulders from under a baseball cap, a kind look in his eyes. Though he looked friendly, he was huge, and that scared you. This massive dude whose face you could hardly see was talking to you and you couldn’t even respond in his language.  
“Ah, I see,” he said, the English making your fears melt away, “I was just wondering if you were alright.”  
“Um, not really,” you admitted, “I got separated from my friends.”  
You mentally kicked yourself. Had you seriously just told this complete stranger that you were lost? What if he was a serial killer? Were you really that desperate to find your friends? Apparently the answer was yes.  
“And you don’t speak Romanian,” he clarified, staring at you like a lost child. It felt almost demeaning.  
“I don’t speak Romanian,” you repeated, your head falling against the table once more. You thought you heard him chuckle.  
“I could help you, if you’re comfortable with that,” he offered, placing his hands in his pockets and studying you. The least he could do was help you find your friends, but only if you trusted him enough to let him.  
“Why do you want to help me?” you asked, your voice muffled.  
The man shrugged, even though he knew you couldn’t see him. “You look like you could use it,” he said.  
You considered this for a moment, trying to decide if you could trust this man. He seemed like he genuinely wanted to help you, but you never can tell when someone has bad intentions these days.  
“I can take you to the police station?” he offered, knowing full well the risks of going to the police. His face was plastered all over the media after what happened in Washington DC, but if it meant getting you back to your friends, he’d risk it.  
You sighed and lifted your head. You knew self-defense, if this guy tried anything, at least you could say you tried to fend him off. And you really, really, needed the help.  
“Okay,” you said, grabbing your drink and standing, “Lead the way.”  
The man smiled and gestured for you to follow, holding the door to the shop open for you. You stepped out into the cold and braced yourself against the gust of wind that slammed into your body, your warm drink providing a small amount of heat. You sipped it once and felt your insides begin to heat up again.  
“I’m Bucky, by the way,” he said as he walked next to you.  
“I’m Y/N,” you said, shooting him a timid smile.  
“Y/N, have you seen the Palace of Parliament yet?” he asked, trying to keep the conversation casual.  
“We were going to see it tonight,” you responded.  
“That’s the best time to see it in my opinion,” he said, “It lights up like a Christmas tree.”  
“It sounds nice,” you said, finding comfort in having him around.  
Bucky watched you out of the corner of his eye, admiring the pink color on the tip of your nose and the way you looked down to avoid staring straight into the wind. He couldn’t help the way his heart jumped at the sight of you, and he couldn’t understand why. He’d never have approached a stranger like that; they could have known exactly who he was. And yet, he felt like he was supposed to help you, and he was glad he did.  
“Do you like it here?” you asked after a few moments, trying to keep the awkward silence at bay.  
“It’s alright,” he said, his eyes scanning the city around him, “I’d rather be in Brooklyn, though.”  
“Why aren’t you?” you asked. Bucky didn’t say anything, his eyes falling to the ground. He couldn’t explain it to you, though he desperately wanted to.  
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry,” you apologized, realizing you’d over stepped your bounds.  
“You don’t need to apologize, doll,” he said, immediately regretting using the nickname. He’d just met you, and he’d never called anyone “doll” before, had he? What was he doing?  
You couldn’t think of anything to say, the term of endearment making you purse your lips together. You settled for giving him an understanding look.  
Another burst of wind knocked into you and you had to stop in your tracks to replace the stolen air in your lungs.  
“Not used to the cold?” he asked, stopping and waiting for you.  
“Not this cold,” you said, your voice shaky. Bucky took pity on you and placed his left arm around you, fully aware that all it had to do was shift or make that damn whirring noise and he’d be found out, but he couldn’t stand to see you standing there so helpless against the blizzard.  
“Thanks,” you muttered, your cheeks red not only from the cold, but from the fact that this attractive man you’d just met was being more polite than any man you’d ever met. Hell, he was being more polite than any man you’d ever dated.  
“Gotta stay warm somehow,” he said, looking down at you and smirking, “Let’s get you to the station.”  
Fifteen minutes and one awkward conversation later, you arrived at the station to find your friends waiting outside. You nearly jumped for joy the moment you saw them, but you settled for releasing your anxiety in the form of a sigh.  
“That’s them,” you said to Bucky as you stood on the other side of the street, your voice relieved.  
“I guess they’ve been looking for you, too,” he said, watching your friends from afar.  
“Thank you, I wouldn’t have been able to find them if you hadn’t helped me, Bucky,” you said, turning to face him. You finally got a good look at his face, and holy shit was he handsome. His eyes seemed to light up when they looked into yours, and it made your stomach turn in the most delightfully strange way.  
“Don’t worry about it, Y/N,” he replied, smiling down at you. It stung to know that he probably wouldn’t ever see you again, but he knew it was for the best. You were too sweet to bring into his world, and he knew eventually he would end up hurting you, but it didn’t stave off his need to hold you in his arms and keep you safe.  
“Take care of yourself, okay?” Bucky asked, his heart heavy. You nodded in understanding, your eyes glued to his face. You didn’t want to forget what he looked like.  
In a moment of bravery you stood on your toes and leaned forward, pressing your chapped lips against the skin of his cheek. His stubble tickled your chin, and you felt his cheeks rise as he smiled. You pulled away and smiled up at him one last time, taking in his love-struck expression before turning and walking away.  
Bucky watched you reunite with your friends, his face hurting from how much he was smiling. It warmed his heart to see them all pull you into hugs, something he would damn himself for never doing. You looked over your shoulder at Bucky one last time, smiling as he waved at you from across the street. You offered a small wave before you were dragged away by your friends.  
Bucky walked back to his apartment as quickly as he could, desperate to write about his short time with you in one of his many notebooks. He hoped he never forgot the way your lips felt against his skin, or the color of your eyes, or the way you practically melded against him when he put his arm around you. It definitely deserved a bookmark.


	2. Magnets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky and the reader reunite, but don't have much time together before things get complicated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of people wanted a sequel, so I decided to do it! I left it open ended in case y'all want another chapter, but if not then it's open to interpretation :-) I'm so glad you all loved the first chapter, I hope this one is just as good!

Bucky smiled as your fingernails trailed over the skin of his arm, the sun shining down on the two of you and warming the air. He was lying on his side, his head resting on his left arm as you caressed his right arm from his wrists to his bicep and back again. The gesture was small and loving, but it brought him more contentment than anything in the world. Bucky closed his eyes and relished in your soft touch.  
“You tired already?” you asked, your fingers retracting.  
“No,” Bucky said, “I’m just happy.”  
“I am too,” you replied, placing your hand on his cheek and running your thumb over the bones beneath his skin. Bucky reached up and laced his fingers with yours, opening his eyes and drinking in your soft expression. You began to lean forward, your lips mere inches from his when a loud thud startled you both.  
-  
Bucky woke with a start, practically flinging himself out of bed and grabbing the nearest object- a shoe- to defend himself. When he scanned the room and found no one, he sighed, dropping his shoe and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The sound of the garbage truck that had woken him from his own personal heaven made another crashing noise before barreling back down the street. He cursed the truck under his breath, kicking the fallen shoe and stretching his arms above his head.  
He’d been dreaming the whole time, and he knew that, but he still wished he hadn’t been. It had been two days since he helped you find your friends and he was still haunted by your face, your lips, your hands, everything about you. He poured himself a bowl of cereal and sat at his table, his body still weak with sleep. All he wanted to do was lie back down and resume dreaming of you, but he knew if he did, he would never get up again. Instead he decided to eat, get ready for the day, and go for a walk like he always did.  
It was a relatively warm day, considering the slush that coated the edges of the streets and sidewalks. The sun was out, bathing everything in a soft shade of honey in the early morning and fading out to simple sunlight as the day went on. Bucky wandered aimlessly, avoiding eye-contact and observing the city with interest. He kept catching himself thinking of you, seeing your face in crowds one moment and realizing his mistake the next. It was torture, not knowing where you were or who you were with, but he knew there was nothing he could do about it. All he could do was keep silently wishing he had kissed you, even if it wasn’t right in the moment. He wondered if he would always regret it.  
He turned down the street he had walked with you on, smiling as he caught a glimpse of the coffee shop. He decided he would go inside, have a quick drink, and humor his crush on you by doing nothing but daydream.  
He sat by the window, sipping his drink and doodling a picture of you in his notebook. It was by no means a decent drawing, but it was more for him to have something to look at when he forgot what you looked like. The lead in his pencil snapped and he was forced to quit doodling.  
Bucky wasn’t sure how long he’d been there, an hour maybe. He’d lost track of time easily, thoughts of you filling his mind and making it hard to focus on anything else. After a while he became bored, the coffee shop becoming too busy for his liking. He stood and tossed his empty coffee cup in the trash before turning to the exit when you walked in.  
You were laughing at something one of your friends had said, the sound stabbing Bucky straight in the heart like the sweetest serrated knife. He stood motionless, unable to believe that you were actually there, all but seven feet away from him. As if on que, your eyes met and you grinned, so Bucky grinned back.  
You crossed the shop as quickly as you could, unable to contain your excitement upon seeing Bucky again. You pulled him into a hug without hesitation; your arms circling his body like you’d done it a million times before. It took him a moment to figure out what was happening, his brain unable to keep up with you. Once he realized you were holding him, he wrapped his arms around your shoulders and squeezed you like his life depended on it.  
“I didn’t think I’d see you again,” you said against his chest, smiling like an idiot.  
“I didn’t either,” Bucky said, resting his cheek on top of your head, “I hope you’ve been getting around fine without me.”  
“We all got lost when we went to the Palace of Parliament,” you laughed, “Maybe I should have asked you to be our tour guide.”  
“Maybe you should have,” Bucky replied with a chuckle, “Don’t any of you have a map, drăguțo?”  
You didn’t respond. That was answer enough for Bucky.  
“You’ve been walking around Bucharest without a map?”  
“We’ve been using the GPS on our phones.”  
“Tourist mistake.”  
One of your friends approached the two of you as you pulled away from Bucky, a smile still plastered on your face.  
“Y/N, do you know this guy?” your friend asked, a skeptical look on their face.  
“This is Bucky,” you introduced him, “He helped me when I got lost the other day.”  
Your friend eyed Bucky suspiciously, knowing they’d seen him somewhere before. Bucky kept his eyes to the floor, trying to keep his face hidden under his baseball cap as best as he could.  
“You look familiar,” your friend said, getting closer and reaching up to move his hat. Bucky caught their wrist before they could get any closer, thankful he used his real arm and not his metal one.  
“We haven’t met,” Bucky said shortly, refusing to meet their eye and dropping their hand. Your friend stared at him in awe, rubbing their wrist and trying to remember where they’d seen him before.  
“I’ll leave you two alone then,” they said, turning and leaving, but not before shooting you a concerned look.  
“What was that?” you asked Bucky once your friend was out of ear shot.  
“It doesn’t matter,” he muttered, his mood having changed from elated to sour. He knew he shouldn’t have done what he did, but he couldn’t risk your friend finding out his identity. His name was a dead giveaway as it was, he was amazed you hadn’t caught on yet.  
“It does matter,” you shot back, folding your arms across your chest and staring up at him.  
“I’m sorry Y/N,” Bucky said, shooting you an apologetic look, “I have to go.”  
“Wait, no,” you started as Bucky began walking off, reaching out to grab his arm and missing by mere inches. In less than five seconds he was gone, his figure nothing more than a blur as he walked away from the shop. You stood in defeat; your shoulders slumped as you watched Bucky leave.  
“You don’t know who he is, do you?” your friend said from behind you. You turned to face them, confusion on your face.  
“What are you talking about?” you asked, taking the coffee your friend offered to you.  
“Come sit down and I’ll show you.”  
You sat with your friend and watched them pull out their phone, tilting it to the side and handing it to you without a word. You looked down at the video and sighed, pressing the play button and waiting for the site to buffer.  
The person filming was running, the sound of bullets and explosions layering over screams and police sirens. The screen panned and there stood a man in all black, a mask hiding his face and a knife in his hand. The man was engaged in combat with what looked to you like Captain America out of his suit, the scene shaky due to the person filming being unable to hold their phone still.  
You didn’t understand at first, until you took note of the man in black’s hair. It was long and brown, just like Bucky’s. He was thinner, yet still had a strong build, but there was no doubt in your mind that the man in the video was Bucky.  
“That can’t be him,” you said, setting the phone down and being consumed by denial.  
“We have to report him, Y/N,” your friend said, taking their phone.  
“Are you crazy? No way!” you half yelled, “That’s not him. He wasn’t like that, you saw him, he hugged me. They can’t be the same person.”  
“Why would he get so defensive of me trying to see his face?” they asked.  
“What if he changed?” you asked, avoiding the question, “What if he stopped doing that? He was so nice to me yesterday, he can’t still do that.”  
“I can’t believe you’re actually trying to defend him,” your friend said, staring at you in disbelief, “He tried to kill Captain America, Y/N. Good people don’t do that.”  
You shook your head, refusing to believe what you were hearing. If he was a bad guy, he wouldn’t have helped you find your friends, he wouldn’t have hugged you just minutes before, there was no way. There was no convincing you, you knew in your heart Bucky was not a bad person.  
“You’re wrong about him,” you said, “I’ll prove it.” With that you stood and rushed out of the shop despite your friend’s protest. You had to find Bucky; you had to find out the truth. It was stupid, you knew that, but you had to try. You owed him that much. You had to let him know that you didn’t see him the way the rest of the world did. Maybe you were hoping it would help, or maybe you were doing it just to prove a point to your friend.  
Either way, you weren’t going to give up until you knew the truth.


	3. Sanctuary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky finds himself falling for the reader even more deeply after conflict ensues. The two have to find safety after being attacked by HYDRA Agents in Bucharest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I'm finally updating it! There are probably typos because I don't feel like proofreading atm. Someone came to my tumblr and reminded me that I need to continue this little series, so here you go! I know I've kept y'all waiting for a long time but it's finally here :-) Let me know what you think, and thanks for all the support! PS making up characters feels weird, but I like Anca. Hope she actually fits in the story!

“I just don’t understand why I have to go with you,” you said, trying to hide the slight whine in your voice.  
“They’ve seen you with me,” Bucky said, his hand gripping the steering wheel so hard you were sure it was going to snap at any second. “If I don’t get you out of here, they’ll take you somewhere you wouldn’t like.”  
“What, like the police station?” you asked.  
“You think those people were the police?” he replied, his voice dumbfounded.  
“Were they not?” you asked, your words small.  
“They were HYDRA Agents, Y/N,” he said. He made a hard left and you had to brace yourself against the door.  
“I don’t know what HYDRA is,” you said.  
“How do you not-” Bucky started, but cut himself off. “They’re the reason I have this.” He tugged at his left sleeve, pulling it up to his elbow and exposing the metal underneath.  
“I saw it in the video,” you said, unable to take your eyes off of the shining prosthetic.  
“They did this,” he said, “I didn’t ask for it. They put it there. That’s what I remember, at least.”  
“So they’re really bad?” you asked.  
“Yes,” he replied harshly, taking another sharp turn. “Really, really bad people.”  
It had been about half an hour since you’d fled the city after stealing one of the large trucks the HYDRA Agents pulled up in. You’d managed to find Bucky after he left the coffee shop, but you didn’t have much time to explain anything to him before several heavily armed men came at you. If you hadn’t known Bucky had a metal arm, you would have vomited after watching him catch bullets with it. You were lucky to escape, but now you were on the run and you couldn’t stop it.  
“I should call my friends,” you muttered, pulling out your phone.  
“Absolutely not,” Bucky said, snatching the phone from your hands and ripping out the battery.  
“Are you kidding me?” you said, watching him toss your phone and battery into the backseat.  
“They might be tracking you,” Bucky said, cursing under his breath. “I should have told you to turn it off earlier. Now we have to take the long way.”  
“The long way to where?” you asked.  
“I set up a safe house outside the city, just in case,” he said, “We’ll be safe there, at least until I can figure out what to do.”  
You sighed and slouched in the seat, unaware of the vague pout on your face. Bucky, however, glanced over at you and couldn’t help the laugh that escaped his lips.  
“You’re actually pouting over being tracked by HYDRA?” he asked.  
“I’m pouting because now I can’t play Candy Crush.”  
“Oh, you poor thing.”  
-  
After nearly two hours of driving, you’d fallen asleep, your knees pulled into your chest and your head resting against the window. When you woke, Bucky had placed his jacket over you, his scent ingrained into the fabric. It was comforting, and extremely warm.  
“We’re here,” Bucky said softly, reaching over and shaking one of your knees. You sat up with a groan, holding his jacket close to your body.  
“Where’s here?” you asked, squinting out the windshield in an attempt to focus your eyes better. It was dark out, the night sky lit up with stars, and you could barely see anything.  
“Three hours out of Bucharest,” he said, turning off the car. “Come on sleepyhead, don’t make me carry you.”  
You followed Bucky to a small cottage just up a hill from where you parked. It was cute, made of white bricks and deep green window panes. A forest of pine trees framed the house, untouched snow coating the branches and the ground below. One of the windows was lit up, thin curtains making it hard for you to see anything inside. You shivered against the cold, hugging Bucky’s jacket tighter around you. You wondered how he was staying warm in just a worn short sleeved t-shirt.  
Bucky knocked on the front door, which was adorably the same color as the window panes. He noticed you shivering next to him and placed his arm around your shoulders, rubbing his hand over your upper arm in an attempt to help you warm up. Though it did little to keep the cold out, you definitely felt your cheeks heating up.  
An elderly woman opened the door, a worried look on her face. Bucky began speaking to her in Romanian, and she spoke back, but of course you had no idea what they were saying. They were both smiling, so you felt somewhat safer than you did before. You were ushered inside by the woman and the moment the warm air hit your body you felt like you would melt.  
The woman disappeared down a hall and you looked up at Bucky, your eyebrows drawn together.  
“Who is this lady?” you asked, your voice shaky.  
“Anca,” he replied fondly, “She’s a friend.”  
You nodded in response and took the opportunity to look around the cottage. Figurines of all kinds of animals scattered the room, some behind glass cases and some out on display. A roaring fire inside a red-bricked fireplace warmed the room while also providing an ambient lighting. Picture frames dotted the walls, photos of people young and old smiling back at you as you observed.  
Anca returned with several blankets, all of which she tossed around your shoulders. You thanked her in English, unsure of how to do it in Romanian. She seemed to understand and smiled at you reassuringly before turning to speak to Bucky.  
“Come on,” Bucky said to you after a while, urging you to follow the old woman down the hallway. She led you to a bedroom, small, but cozy. Bucky thanked her and the door was shut, and you were alone once again.  
“Why isn’t she afraid of you like everyone else is?” you asked, shedding the blankets to take off his jacket.  
“She isn’t afraid of anyone,” Bucky chuckled, “She’s the daughter of an old family friend.”  
You nodded, placing his jacket on a chair and looking around the small room. There was only one bed, not that you minded all that much. It would be easier to stay warm if you slept together, anyway. You kicked off your shoes and sighed at having free feet after such a long day.  
“You should get some sleep,” Bucky said, walking across the room to light the smaller fireplace.  
“Are you not going to sleep?” you asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and running your hands through your hair.  
“Not tired,” Bucky said, leaning against the fireplace and staring into the growing flames. You watched him with interest, your eyes taking in his every feature. He had dark rings under his eyes, a clear sign of fatigue. You narrowed your eyes at him, stood, and walked over to him.  
“You’re lying,” you said simply, staring up at him.  
“I swear, I’m not tired,” he said, looking over at you. You had your arms crossed over your chest and an adorably stern look on your face.  
“Are you always this stubborn?” you asked, shifting your weight to one leg. You could feel the heat from the fire warming your jeans.  
“Are you always this nosy?” he countered, smirking at you.  
“You need to sleep, Bucky,” you said.  
“Will you leave me alone if I do?” he asked.  
“Probably not,” you said, “You’re stuck with me, you know.”  
Bucky sighed and tucked his hair behind his ear, shaking his head and smiling.  
“Fine,” he said softly, “I’ll go to bed in a few minutes, I just need to wind down first, okay?”  
You nodded and turned away, walking back over to the bed. All of the sudden your jeans felt uncomfortable, like they were made of hay. You looked at Bucky, who had his back turned to you, and slowly slipped off your pants, trying to be as quiet as possible. It wouldn’t be any warmer to sleep with them off, but at least you would sleep more comfortably. Your socks soon came after and you slipped into bed, smiling at the designs of cute little bears on the quilt.  
You laid there in silence for a while, staring at the ceiling, then Bucky, then the quilt, then the fire. It was like you weren’t tired, even after having an extremely eventful day. After a while it became a task to fall asleep.  
“Bucky?” you said softly.  
“Yes?” he replied, his voice just as soft.  
“I can’t sleep,” you said. You swore you heard him laugh under his breath.  
“What do you normally do when you can’t sleep?” he asked, turning around and looking over at you.  
“I listen to music,” you said, feeling like a small child bothering their parents in the middle of the night.  
Bucky pondered this, pulling his lower lip between his teeth before letting out a sigh. He crossed the room and sat in the bed next to you, leaning against the wooden headboard and motioning for you to come closer. You shifted and felt two arms pull you closer, your head now resting against the middle of his torso. You turned on your side to get more comfortable, your arms circling around him easily. The two of you laid there for a few moments before you heard him begin to hum.  
You didn’t recognize the tune, and you wondered if he was making it up on his own. His chest vibrated gently as he hummed, both the sound and the feeling making your eyes heavy with sleep. Bucky continued for a good five minutes, humming and holding you until sleep took you. After he heard the gentle sounds of you snoring he slid down under the covers and adjusted you so that you were resting on his chest.  
His heart felt full as he listened to you sleep, the sound of the crackling fire providing a sense of comfort even if he knew he wasn’t necessarily safe. He felt guilty for having to drag you away from your vacation to run from HYDRA, but if it meant he got to hold you like he was in that moment, he’d do it all again in a heartbeat.  
He knew it was dangerous to get so close to you, but in some ways, he didn’t care. His past be damned, he wanted nothing but moments like that with you. To hold you in his arms and listen to you snore was all he really wanted, and he didn’t even know that he wanted it until now.  
There was no way in hell he would ever be able to have a life with you, and he knew that, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy the time he did have with you.


	4. Nosy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky and the reader spend a (somewhat) tame day together in the cabin. As always, things don't always go according to plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who needs proofreading amirite  
> I've been on a bit of a hiatus from tumblr for the last two weeks so I figured, why not post something here? All I've done is play Dead By Daylight lately so I decided to actually do something productive lol. Leave a comment if you want me to write more to this, or if you have any ideas as to where I should take it next. Thanks for all the support you've shown this work, it really encourages me <3

When you woke, you instantly regretted taking off your pants the night before. Despite being engulfed by at least four quilts, your legs were canvased in goosebumps. You felt a heat source underneath you and your body reacted the only way it knew how; it did everything it could to absorb as much heat as possible. You pressed your bare feet against warm skin and shuddered, the feeling of heat on your frozen toes sending electricity up your spine. The source of the heat, however, woke with a start.  
Bucky sat up with a yelp, his body moving away from yours. You groaned in irritation, grabbing his hand and attempting to pull him back into the bed.  
“Y/N, you scared the shit out of me,” he said, his voice breathy yet hoarse from sleep.  
“Shut up, I’m freezing,” you replied, yanking on his hand more forcefully. Bucky sighed heavily and settled back into the sheets, pulling you into his arms once more and wincing when you pressed your feet against his foot again.  
“Why did you take off your socks?” he asked.  
“I took off my pants too,” you said, your thigh pressing against his.  
“And I thought I was stupid,” Bucky said, “Put your clothes back on, I have to shower.”  
“Don’t leave me,” you mumbled absentmindedly, clinging to him like a leech. Hearing you say this made Bucky’s heart jump, though he knew it was just you using him for his body heat.  
“Get dressed, you can take a hot shower later and you’ll feel better,” he said, pushing the covers off of you both and unlatching your death grip on his body. You gasped as the cold air crashed over your bare skin and reacted almost immediately, pulling the quilts up and over your head.  
Bucky shivered once against the cold and glanced over at the fireplace, wondering exactly how long it had burnt out. A yawn escaped his lips and he stood on his toes to stretch his legs. The sound of you groaning under the covers made him smile, something he found himself doing more often with you around.  
He wandered out of the room to shower, leaving you on your own with the icy throes of the morning. You did what he asked and put your clothes back on, even though they were just as cold as the air when you did. After warming up, you found yourself falling back asleep, the fluffy pillows providing a sense of heaven on earth.  
After about twenty minutes Bucky returned, his hair damp and hanging all around his face. He was grateful he’d left some of his belongings with Anca when he first set up the safe house, but he felt bad that you didn’t have anything but the clothes on your back. Because of this, he brought you one of his sweatshirts.  
“Still sleeping?” he asked, making sure to speak loudly enough to wake you up.  
“Hardly,” you replied, sitting up and pulling the covers up to your nose and staring at Bucky with tired eyes.  
“Here,” he said, tossing the hoodie your way. “This should help.”  
You slipped the dark gray jacket over your head, his familiar scent once again filling your nose. It was something you would have to get used to, apparently.  
“Thanks,” you said, pulling the sleeves over your hands and the hood over your head. It was far too large for you, not that you minded. Plus, Bucky had to admit, there was nothing that got his heart soaring quite like looking at you wearing his clothes.  
“Anca was cooking when I went out,” Bucky said, running a hand through the tangles in his hair. “If you’re hungry, she makes pretty great pancakes.”  
“Sounds perfect,” you said, smiling at him. “But first, I have questions.”  
“What about?” he asked.  
“You,” you said, “My friend showed me this video of you after you left the coffee shop...”  
“DC, most likely,” he muttered, “There’s kind of a long story to that one.”  
“So tell me,” you said.  
“Y/N, what if I told you I’m 99 years old?” he asked, sitting next to you on the bed.  
“Any other time I’d probably just laugh at you,” you scoffed, “But I’ll believe anything after yesterday.”  
“HYDRA kept me alive for over 70 years,” he said, “They made me do things I didn’t want to do.” Bucky’s hand had come to rest on his chest, his fingers rubbing small circles under his collarbone, as if something there under his skin was bothering him.  
“Like try to kill Captain America?” you asked, your voice cautious.  
“That was one thing,” he said, “I’ve killed innocent people, Y/N. I remember all of their faces like it all happened yesterday.”  
“Why didn’t you leave?” you asked.  
“I couldn’t,” he said, shifting his weight, “They took my memories from me so I didn’t know anything except the mission.”  
“What happened in DC?” you asked, cursing yourself for turning the conversation into a game of 20 questions.  
“I almost killed Steve,” he said slowly, his eyes low. “But he said something, and I stopped. I couldn’t kill him. I disappeared after that, tried to figure out who I was.”  
“Steve doesn’t know where you are,” you said, putting the pieces together. Bucky shook his head ‘no.’  
“I’m sorry,” you said softly, reaching over and taking the hand that was resting on his chest.  
“I’m glad it happened,” he said, “I’d rather be here than be a killing machine.”  
“So, who were you?” you asked, “Y’know, before all of this.”  
The next half hour consisted of countless stories. Some of which he couldn’t remember all of, but some he had memorized from writing the down. His face lit up as he talked about his life before HYDRA, his eyes holding some sort of nostalgic light, like he was somewhere else.  
“So you were a ladies man?” you joked, poking him in the shoulder.  
“You could say that,” he said smugly.  
“But you didn’t have all this fabulous hair back then.”  
“Didn’t need it. All I needed was my charm and rugged good-looks.”  
“So humble.”  
“I’m just saying, it’s not easy being this good looking.”  
You both laughed, the worries of the past few days throw to the wind. It was nice to just talk, even if deep down, it made Bucky sad. He was glad to finally have someone to share his feelings and thoughts with, but he still couldn’t tell you about all of the awful things he’d done. It would break your heart.  
“Do you think we would have been friends?” you asked.  
“We’re friends now, aren’t we?” he asked, meeting and holding your gaze.  
“If friends run from corrupt organizations together, then yes,” you said, grinning and getting out of the bed finally.  
“I guess that’s what friends are for,” Bucky chuckled, following suit.  
“Come on, I’m starving,” you said, taking his hand and leading him out of the room.  
After a delicious breakfast, you sat and listened to Bucky chat with Anca, even if you had no idea what they were saying. Every now and then he would tell you something she said, or translate something you wanted to say to her. It was nice, just to have a quiet morning with people you could technically classify as strangers.  
You excused yourself after a while for a shower, the hot water calling your name. It was like pure bliss, standing under a steady stream of warm water while the world outside only grew colder. After drying and dressing, you exited the small bathroom, a fog of steam following you as you did. Considering all things, you were grateful you at least had warm water. You made your way back to the bedroom, taking your time to continue admiring the adorable furnishings of the house. As you walked through the doorway to the bedroom, you were too busy staring at a painting as you walked. You turned back to the door and found yourself smacking face first into something solid.  
Apparently, doors didn’t just open when you willed them to.  
You gasped and held your nose, a painful ache spreading through the bones there. Liquid dripped onto your hand and you sighed through your mouth, more annoyed than anything.  
You tilted your head back and attempted to wander back to the bathroom, holding your nostrils closed to keep from dripping blood on the floor. You used your free hand to feel your way around the house, seeing as though you couldn’t see anything but the white ceiling. Then, as if you hadn’t run into enough things today, you bumped into another solid. As opposed to the door, this one was warm, and smelled like pine needles.  
“You okay?” Bucky asked, staring down at you. You couldn’t not look at him, because if you tried to look away, blood would spill everywhere.  
“I’m fine,” you said, your voice nasally.  
“Are you sure?” he asked, “You’ve got blood on your hand...”  
“Listen,” you started, “I’m not very coordinated, and if I don’t stop the bleeding, I’m gonna ruin the carpet.”  
“Come on,” Bucky said, a laugh laced in his words. He placed his arm around your shoulders and lead you to the bathroom, being sure to open the door and maneuver you away from any furniture.  
“Here,” he said, handing you several tissues, “Put them in each nostril, looks like they’re both bleeding.”  
“Thanks,” you said, your voice still distorted. You stuffed the tissues in your nose, cleaned up your face, and washed your hands. All the while, Bucky watched with a bemused expression, unable to help himself.  
“I feel silly,” you said, turning to face him.  
“You look silly,” he agreed, still chuckling at you. “I’m not surprised you got lost in Bucharest in the first place.”  
“Hey, it’s not my fault the universe hates me,” you replied mock-angrily.  
“I’m sorry, I can’t take you seriously when you look like that,” Bucky laughed, “What did you even do?”  
“I ran into a door,” you said.  
“Once again, not surprised in the slightest.”  
“Shut up, I bet you’ve done tons of stupid stuff too.”  
“Can you prove it?”  
“You’re a dick.”  
“And you ran into a door.”  
“To be fair, it’s not exactly uncommon for me to run into things.”  
“That I believe.”  
-  
Hours passed, your nose stopped bleeding, and Bucky decided it was a good idea for you to get some fresh air despite the frigid cold. Anca lent you gloves and snow boots, which fit surprisingly well. You and Bucky wandered through the snow, going nowhere in particular. A lone, leafless tree stood in the snow, its dark branches bare and icy. The two of you stopped to look at the tree, even if it wasn’t exactly exciting to look at.  
“You’re handling all of this well,” Bucky said after a long silence. You glanced over at him and watched the setting sun paint his face in endless shadows and different shades. His nose was pink, as were his cheeks, and his eyes were staring down at the ground below.  
“Well, I do have you to help me,” you said, smiling over at him.  
“I guess that’s true,” he said, “But if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be in this mess.“  
“I don’t really see it as a mess as so much as an adventure,” you said, surprised at your own optimism.  
“You think being hunted by HYDRA is an adventure?” he asked, looking at you finally.  
“I guess,” you shrugged, “Would you prefer I whined and begged you to take me home? Because I can do that too.”  
“You amaze me sometimes,” Bucky chuckled, unable to take his eyes off of you. You stood there in silence for a while, staring each other down as the sun set behind the clouds. If it had been anyone else staring back at you, you would have been more than uncomfortable, but it was Bucky. He was real, and he was right there next to you.  
Before you could stop yourself, you felt your body begin being drawn to his. You leaned in to him, and he leaned into you. Your lips were mere inches from each other, and just as you went in for the kiss, he came in as well, crushing your noses together.  
“Dammit!” you cried out, turning away from him. Bucky broke out in hysterics, hunched over and holding his stomach as you held your nose.  
“I’m sorry,” Bucky said, trying to catch his breath. “Is it bleeding?”  
“I don’t think so,” you replied, moving your hands away from your face. “It was so perfect, dammit!”  
“I know it was,” he laughed, pulling you into his arms and holding you close to him. “At least now I know you’re so eager to kiss me, you’d risk breaking your nose to do it.”


	5. Heavy Weather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky and the reader prepare to leave the safe house when suddenly things go south.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya! I was planning on posting this sooner but I've been in and out of doctors offices and dealing with nerve pain so I haven't really been in a place to finish it. I'm probably going to stray away from the original canon plot and take it my own direction, so as to make everything work out well. Hope everyone's okay with that <3 Love getting feedback, this is my most requested series ever! Thank you all so much for continuing to read even though I'm so inconsistent. :-) Also, this chapter is a bit shorter than the others. Hoping that my health will get back in check so I can write more.

“It’s been three days, Bucky. Don’t you think if they were going to find us, they would have already?”  
“No, they’re slow at what they do but they’re better than you think.”  
You sighed heavily and leaned back in the armchair, scratching at the collar of the sweater Anca had loaned you. It didn’t fit you quite right, but it was clean and warm and a lovely shade of gray, so you didn’t mind all that much.  
“I promise, one more day and we can leave.” Bucky said, kneeling down on the floor in front of you. He slipped his hand into yours and gave you his best puppy dog eyes, something you’d found he was very good at.  
“Fine,” you replied, “But I’m calling my friends.”  
“Deal,” Bucky said, standing and pressing a swift kiss to your forehead then exiting the room.  
You pulled your phone from your pocket, praying it still had even a little bit of battery life left. As it powered up, you glanced out the window and frowned at the amount of fluff that was falling to the ground. It would be a nightmare to drive through when you left tomorrow, but it also meant you could shamelessly snuggle up to Bucky at night. Not that you didn’t already.  
Ever since your headbutting incident three days before, it was plainly obvious that all feelings were out in the open. You’d finally kissed, and it was everything you could have ever dreamed of. His lips had been chapped but not to the point where it was uncomfortable. You could feel his pulse race beneath his skin as you rested your hand on the side of his neck, finding comfort in the fact that he was just as nervous as you were. The kiss was all things lovely and warm, despite the fact that you smacked your face into his only moments before.  
When your phone had finally powered up, you sighed in relief to see you still have 40% battery. You dialed your friends in record time, aching to talk to someone other than Bucky. As much as you adored him, you can only talk to one person for so long.  
“Y/N?” your friend said, “Holy shit, where have you been?”  
“Uh, kind of a long story,” you replied, “I can explain when I get back tomorrow.”  
“Are you okay? We’ve been worried sick,” they said, unable to stop the crack in their voice.  
“I’m fine, promise,” you said, swallowing the lump in your throat. “There was an emergency, I had to leave town. I’m safe, I’m coming back tomorrow.”  
“You’re kidding me right now,” they said, “You should be coming back right now, Y/N.”  
“I know, I know, I just can’t,” you said, “I can’t talk for long, I’m sorry. I have to go, please don’t worry about me.”  
“No, you need to come back,” they said tearfully, “We all thought someone took you, Y/N. We’ve been searching day and night. Tell me where you are and we’ll come get you.”  
“I can’t,” you said, “I’m sorry, I’ll see you tomorrow.”  
“Y/N, don’t you dare hang up-”  
You pressed ‘end call’ and threw your phone on the bed, then covered your face with your hands and let a few tears slip down your cheeks. You couldn’t help but blame yourself for everything that had happened. If you hadn’t accepted Bucky’s help in the first place, you’d probably be on a plane back home right now. Your friends were worried beyond belief and you couldn’t tell them a damn thing, and it was killing you.  
A soft knock came at the door, but you refused to look up. The door creaked open and you continued to cry softly, hoping that if you ignored Bucky for long enough he would just go away and let you wallow. The thing was, when a hand landed on your shoulder, it was frail and gentle, unlike Bucky’s strong and heavy hands.  
You looked up and saw Anca, who was staring down at you with a frown on her face. You wiped the tears from your face and averted your eyes, not wanting to have a pity party.  
“Y/N,” she said, her voice sending a wave of comfort over you. When you met her gaze, she smiled softly, her eyes crinkling at the edges. You stared up at her and felt your heart grow heavier, the stress of the week weighing down on you like a ton of bricks. You sat and cried, comforted by Anca’s soothing presence. Bucky stood in the doorway and watched silently, tears threatening his own eyes. Guilt had consumed his heart and he felt selfish for keeping you from your friends, even if he knew he had no choice. You were safer with him, even if it was hard to understand.  
After crying yourself out, you laid down on the bed and let sleep take you. Bucky sat in the armchair and watched you, taking in your sleeping physique and trying to suppress his growing feelings for you. When all of this was over, he knew he would have to say goodbye to you, and he wasn’t sure if he was ready to do that a second time.  
You drifted in and out of consciousness, your mind unable to keep quiet as you tried desperately to stay asleep. When someone started shaking you awake, you finally completely woke up, alert and ready.  
“Y/N, wake up,” Bucky half shouted, shaking your shoulders and staring you in the face.  
“What? What’s going on?” you asked drowsily.  
“Change of plans, we’re leaving right now,” he said frantically, pulling you out of bed to which you responded with a whine.  
“Why?” you asked.  
“They must’ve tracked your cell phone, I shouldn’t have let you use it,” he said, pulling you by the arm out of the bedroom. You didn’t have time to ask questions before you were basically dragged out of the house and thrown into the car, Bucky being sure to buckle your seat belt for you despite the lack of time. The car sputtered to life and the sound of bullets shattering the back window made you jump in your seat.  
“Keep your head down,” Bucky shouted, speeding off down the road away from your attackers. “I saw them coming before they could get here, thank God.”  
“How are we going to get away?” you asked frantically, glancing over your shoulder and watching a caravan of militarized trucks gain on you.  
“I don’t know,” Bucky replied, his voice panicky and unsteady. He tried to drive as carefully as he could despite the weather, but trying to speed through snow wasn’t exactly easy.  
“What about Anca?” you asked. When Bucky didn’t respond, you assumed the worst.  
A loud bang sounded and the car jolted, and suddenly Bucky couldn’t control where the car was going. You squeezed your eyes shut and felt air fly around your face, the car driving straight into a ditch. You felt Bucky grab your hand at the last second, and you could swear you heard him shout your name before a deafening crash thrust you into darkness.


	6. Falling Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the crash, the reader tries to regain her senses while dealing with HYDRA.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wowzers! I can’t believe people are still leaving feedback on this fic! I’m so sorry it took me almost a year to update, but it’s finally here! I’m a little rusty so you’ll have to forgive me for that, but I hope it came out alright! :-) I'm sure there's something in there that I didn't word properly lol

You’d been there for what felt like hours. Disoriented, terrified for not only your own life, but also Bucky’s. The last you saw of him was before the crash that had left you with a raging headache and what was probably a fractured ankle. The restraints certainly didn’t help in that, they were so tight around your wrists and ankles you could feel your hands and feet going numb. You were sat upright in a chair, a blindfold covering your eyes and your body shivering from the cold air.

From what you knew of HYDRA, there was no getting out of this. There was no escaping. It was a miracle Bucky did it once, there was no way he had enough luck to do it twice, especially when he had to get you out as well. No one knew where you were, or who you were with. There was no way to call for help, even if you somehow managed to free yourself and limp away. They’d catch you before you could even get out of the room, you were sure.

A feeling of helplessness crept into your heart and made your veins ache all the way to your fingertips. It became increasingly difficult to keep your composure as time passed. You had no idea if they were watching you, but if they were, you didn’t want to show just how fucking terrified you were. You had to stay calm if you wanted to buy yourself some time. That, however, seemed near impossible as panic set in.

The sound of a heavy metal door opening and scratching the concrete floor made you sit up straight, as best as you could in your current state. You winced as a sharp pain shot up your leg from your ankle, but did your best to remain calm. Footsteps approached, the sound of what you could only assume was a metal chair scraping the floor made your skin crawl, and someone sighed. Every sound rang in your ears loud and clear, and not just because of how scared you were. It was like the entire room was isolated from the outside world, no sound could get in, no sound could get out.

The thought sent a chill up your spine.

“Not going to ask where you are?” a female voice said. The accent in her voice was heavy, but the overall tone was somehow calming.

You shook your head ‘no.’

“What do you remember?”

Swallowing hard, you opened your mouth and spoke for the first time in what felt like days. “I remember the crash. And fire. And... where is he?”

“The man you who abducted you?” she asked.

“He didn’t abduct me,” you said defensively, “He saved me. Is he okay?”

“He is fine. He’s safe.”

You sighed in relief.

“It took a lot of convincing to get him to... cooperate,” she sighed, “We should have just wiped him when we had the chance. But he decided he wanted leverage and threatened to kill our head engineer if we didn’t do as he asked. He’s quick... we trained him a bit too well. At least his skill set stayed in tact.”

Your heart sank into your chest at the reminder that Bucky was, in fact, a killer. Not that he liked it or wanted to be one, but he was capable of it. You hated thinking of him like that. He wasn’t a coldhearted murderer to you; he was sweet, gentle, and caring. He wanted what was best for others. He wanted to keep you safe.

But he could kill if the need would arise. Apparently, it had.

“He had several conditions.”

“Why are you telling me all of this?” you asked.

The woman chuckled under her breath and stood, then made her way over to you. You felt her begin to undo your bindings. “You’ll see.”

-

After limping down a narrow hallway completely blindfolded, you felt your nerves slowly but surely beginning to fray. All you wanted to do was see Bucky, at least one more time. You knew they wouldn’t let you live. There was no way they’d walk you and Bucky to the front door and wave goodbye as you strode off into the sunset. You were painfully aware of that. The thought, however, brought you a little comfort.

You were ushered into another cold room and left to your own thoughts. Your breathing picked up in pace as you listened to the silence, utterly unaware of your surroundings. Was there someone else in there? Were you alone? Was it dark, or was there at least a little bit of light? Not knowing where you were set you on edge, a lot more than you had been before.

Feeling your way around in the darkness, you managed to find a corner and lowered yourself to the floor as carefully as you could. Your ankle screamed at you as you finally relaxed against the cold stone walls and floor. Very gently, you began to examine the damage as best as you could without making it worse. Nothing seemed to be sticking out or bent in the wrong direction, so you told yourself it was a sprain and sat back.

It felt like years, but eventually, the door opened once more and someone else entered the room. Their boots were noisy against the hard floor, indicating they were probably a lot bigger and stronger than you were. Your stomach turned over a few times as the stranger approached you, and you shrank back against the wall as much as possible. It was hard not to shiver, not only from the cold, but from the fear coursing through you.

The person knelt down and reached around behind you to undo your blindfold. When you opened your eyes, everything was nothing more than a blur, so you blinked several times to try and readjust them to being able to see again. When the person came into focus, you reached out in less than a second and pulled them into your arms.

“You’re okay,” you whispered as you buried your face into Bucky’s shoulder. His arms circled your waist and brought you closer to him, the heat from his body making your icy skin burn.

“So are you,” he chuckled softly. He pulled away and took your face in his hands, his thumbs gently stroking your cheeks. “Did they hurt you?”

You shook your head and reached up to grab his wrists with your hands. He sighed in relief and pressed his forehead to yours, his breath fanning over your face.

“Y/N, there’s something I need to tell you, and I just need you to listen,” he said, opening his eyes and looking into yours. The seriousness in his expression and tone made you nervous, but you nodded anyway.

“I know I haven’t known you long. It’s barely been a week since I met you. But I’m so in love with you. I’m in love with your laugh, and your smile, and your sarcastic sass, I love all of it. I love you, and I’m so sorry you got caught up in this mess. I couldn’t live with myself if I lost you, or let something happen to you that I could have stopped.

“You’re important to me. I need you to remember that, you’re important to me. Do you understand?”

“I understand,” you affirmed. He smiled and whispered a soft “thank you” before pressing his lips to yours in a desperate, emotional kiss. His hair tickled the skin on your face as you leaned into the kiss, but you didn’t mind in the slightest. The kiss was familiar, comforting; like coming home after a long trip.

One of his hands rested on your neck, but it felt as if he was holding something in his palm. Something cold and metallic. You pulled away to ask what it was, but before you could get out a single word, he grabbed both of your wrists in his free hand. A sudden, sharp pain pierced through your neck, making your cry out and struggle against him. A pressured filled your head and you fell back against the wall, your mouth hanging open and your eyebrows drawn together.

Something sharp withdrew from your neck and Bucky placed something soft over the spot, making you wince.

“I’m doing this because I love you,” he said. The sadness lacing his voice made your heart shrivel up. Your head throbbed and suddenly your skin felt much more sensitive, yet somehow numb at the same time. You were lightheaded and confused. It had happened so fast and left you feeling defeated.

“What did you do?” you asked softly, barely able to raise your voice above a whisper.

“I knew you wouldn’t do it willingly. They wanted to kill you, they were going to. But I reasoned with them, and this was the only way I could keep you alive. You would have let them kill you, I knew you would. I can’t have that, I won’t let you die because of me.”

“I don’t understand,” you whined. Your vision was beginning to blur and darken around the edges and it became harder and harder to focus on his face.

“They’re going to remove all of your memories from this week. You won’t remember anything. Then they’ll take you back to your friends. This was the only way, Y/N, please forgive me for this. I couldn’t just let you die,” his voice was broken, rough, and dripping with remorse. “I’m so sorry.”

“But I don’t want to forget,” you said, tears slipping from your eyes. “Bucky, I don’t want to forget you, please. I love you, don’t let them take me away from you.”

You heard him curse under his breath as he held back his own tears. You tried to reach out, to grab him and hold him and never let go, but your entire body felt weak. Whatever he’d injected you with was strong and worked quickly. No matter how desperately you wanted to latch onto him, you couldn’t, and your brain went into a panic. You screamed at yourself to stay awake, but it didn’t seem to work.

The last thing you heard was a broken apology, and the last thing you saw was the torn expression on his face as you fell from consciousness.


End file.
